The process by which sensations are organized into a inner representation of the world

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The minimal amount of energy that can produce a sensation

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The highness or lowness of a sound, as determined by the frequency of the sound waves

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Sensory stimulation below a person’s absolute threshold for conscious perception

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The minimal difference in intensity required between two sources of energy so that they will be perceived as being different

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The fraction of the intensity by which a source of physical energy must be increased or decreased so that a difference in intensity will be perceived

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The minimal amount by which a source of energy must be increased or decreased so that a difference in intensity will be perceived

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The view that the perception of sensory stimuli involves the interaction of physical, biological, and psychological factors

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Neurons in the sensory cortex that fire in response to specific features of sensory information such as lines or edges of objects

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The processes by which organisms become more sensitive to stimuli that are low in magnitude and less sensitive to stimuli that are constant or ongoing in magnitude

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The type of sensory adaptation in which we become more sensitive to stimuli that are low in magnitude; also called positive adaptation

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The type of sensory adaptation in which we become less sensitive to constant stimuli; also called negative adaptation

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The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that stimulates the eye and produces visual sensations

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The color of light, as determined by its wavelength

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Transparent tissue forming the outer surface of the eyeball

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A muscular membrane whose dilation regulates the amount of light that enters the eye

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The black-looking opening in the center of the iris, through which light enters the eye

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A transparent body behind the iris that focuses an image on the retina

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The area of the inner surface of the eye that contains rods and cones

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Cells that respond to light

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Neurons that conduct neural impulses from rods and cones to ganglion cells

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Neurons whose axons form the optic nerve

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The nerve that transmits sensory information from the eye to the brain

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Rod-shaped photoreceptors that are sensitive only to the intensity of light

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Cone-shaped photoreceptors that transmit sensations of color

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An area near the center of the retina that is dense with cones and where vision is consequently most acute

(a)  

The area of the retina where axons from ganglion cells meet to form the optic nerve

(a)  

Sharpness of vision

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A condition characterized by brittleness of the lens

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The process of adjusting to conditions of lower lighting by increasing the sensitivity of rods and cones

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Descriptive of colors of the spectrum that when combined produce white or nearly white light

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The lingering visual impression made by a stimulus that has been removed

(a)  

The theory that color vision is made possible by three types of cones, some of which respond to red light, some to green, and some to blue

(a)  

The theory that color vision is made possible by three types of cones, some of which respond to red or green light, some to blue or yellow, and some to the intensity of light

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A person with normal color vision

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A person who is sensitive to black and white only and hence color-blind

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A person who is sensitive to black–white and either red–green or blue–yellow and hence is partially color-blind

(a)  

The tendency to perceive a broken figure as being complete or whole

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The tendency to integrate perceptual elements into meaningful patterns

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Nearness; the perceptual tendency to group together objects that are near one another

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The perceptual tendency to group together objects that are similar in appearance

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Continuity The tendency to perceive a series of points or lines as having unity

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The tendency to perceive elements that move together as belonging together

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The use of contextual information or knowledge of a pattern in order to organize parts of the pattern

(a)  

The organization of the parts of a pattern to recognize, or form an image of, the pattern they compose

(a)  

Sensations that give rise to misperceptions

(a)  

A visual illusion in which the perception of motion is generated by a series of stationary images that are presented in rapid succession

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Stimuli suggestive of depth that can be perceived with only one eye

(a)  

A monocular cue for depth based on the convergence (coming-together) of parallel lines as they recede into the distance

(a)  

A monocular cue for depth based on the perception that closer objects appear to have rougher (more detailed) surfaces

(a)  

A monocular cue for depth based on the perception that nearby objects appear to move more rapidly in relation to our own motion

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Stimuli suggestive of depth that involve simultaneous perception by both eyes

(a)  

A binocular cue for depth based on the difference in the image cast by an object on the retinas of the eyes as the object moves closer or farther away

(a)  

A binocular cue for depth based on the inward movement of the eyes as they attempt to focus on an object that is drawing nearer

(a)  

The tendency to perceive an object as being the same size even as the size of its retinal image changes according to the object’s distance

(a)  

The tendency to perceive an object as being the same color even though lighting conditions change its appearance

(a)  

The tendency to perceive an object as being just as bright even though lighting conditions change its intensity

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The tendency to perceive an object as being the same shape even though the retinal image varies in shape as it rotates

(a)  

A unit expressing the frequency of sound waves; one hertz equals one cycle per second

(a)  

A unit expressing the loudness of a sound

(a)  

The inner ear; the bony tube that contains the basilar membrane and the organ of Corti

(a)  

A membrane that lies coiled within the cochlea

(a)  

The receptor for hearing that lies on the basilar membrane in the cochlea

(a)  

The axon bundle that transmits neural impulses from the organ of Corti to the brain

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The theory that the pitch of a sound is determined by the section of the basilar membrane that vibrates in response to the sound

(a)  

The theory that the pitch of a sound is reflected in the frequency of the neural impulses that are generated in response to the sound

(a)  

A complex quality of food and other substances that is based on their odor, texture, and temperature as well their taste

(a)  

The nerve that transmits information concerning odors from olfactory receptors to the brain

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Receptor cells that are sensitive to taste

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The sensory organs for taste; they contain taste cells and are located mostly on the tongue

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Perception of pain apparently “in” limbs that have been amputated, often because of activation of nerves in the stump of the missing limb

(a)  

Melzack’s view that neurons in the spine can simultaneously transmit only a limited amount of information, so that stimulation of neurons from many regions can limit the perception of pain in one region

(a)  

Use of pins to diminish pain, possible because of stimulation of release of endorphins and cortiso

(a)  

The sense that informs us about the positions and motion of parts of our bodies

(a)  

The sense of equilibrium that informs us about our bodies’ positions relative to gravity

(a)  

Perception of objects or events through means other than the recognized sensory organs

(a)